Knockdown pedestal lawn table



Patented Aug. 19, 1952 KNOCKDOWN PEDESTAL LAWN TABLE Ruth M. Metcalf, Bremerton, Wash.

Application October 3, 1949, Serial No. 119,307

2- Claims.

This present inventionconsists of a table top together with a centrally disposed pillar so that the table may be used as on a lawn, or the like, for a wide variety of uses such as a cigarette table, a table for the serving of drinks and uses of that general character. The central supporting member is very substantial and when pressed into the ground, gives unusual stability to the table. A gauging arrangement which also gives increased stability to the table, consists of a plurality of radially disposed legs, having downwardly extending points which are also pressed into the ground.

During the summer months the use of lawns for outdoor living is very common and popular and considerable difficulty has been experienced in the past in having small tables that can be used on the soft yielding and usually irregular surface of a lawn. Some attempts have been made in the past to provide equipment of this order, however, it is felt that the majority of these devices do not adequately serve their purpose or, in serving their purpose, become difficult to adequately store, or take care of during the periods when they are not in use. In this present invention, means are provided for the easy disassembly of the table, yet additional means is provided to insure that the dissassembled parts may be secured together in such a manner that, even during the long periods of storage, the parts will not be separated and, thus be available when desired for use.

The principal object of this present invention, therefore, is to provide a lawn table which can be securely anchored in an uneven surface, such as a lawn, and which has gauging and auxiliary supportingdevices which will insure the placing of the table at its predetermined elevation without danger of the same tipping over, or being easily displacedwhen bumped into, for instance.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby, when the table is not in use, the variousparts can be disassembled for convenient storage, yet the parts will be so connected together that the various elements will always be found as a unit when they are desired for use.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a table made after the teachings of the present invention, as it appears when in use;

Figure 2 is a bracketed view partly in section showing the various elements making up the table supporting means in an exploded relationship to better illustrate their construction;

Figure 3 illustrates one manner in which the table top'is secured to the supporting standard when not in use, and it is desired to store the same way;

Figure 4 illustrates one manner in which the gauging and stabilizing units of the table supporting standard may be attached to the supporting pillar;

Figure 5 is an alternate arrangement showing how the table top may be secured to the pillar when in use and a securing connector for use during storage. Certain parts are broken away and shown in section.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, the numeral I0 designates a table top for use outdoors. Such a table top may be made in any desired form although the round style shown is probably the most desirable. It has further been found desirable to provide an upwardly extending rim as [2 so that items placed on the table top, which is relatively small, will have little tendency to slide olT the same. Disposed normally concentrically with the table or at the center of the same if it is straight sided, is the vertical tube or pillar [4. Normally this is best formed as a piece of tubing or pipe due to the fact that for a given weight the greatest degree of stiffness is provided. At its upperend, pillar I4 is provided with a fitting, as I6, which is fixedly secured to table top H] in some convenient manner, the exact form of this attachment being a function of the materials employed, if the table top It is of fibrous material or wood, the flanged member [6 will preferably be screwed fast or riveted thereto. In the case of a metal table top, it may be welded or riveted thereto.

In the preferred arrangement, pillar M has normally connected to it by the usual pipe threads, the T member I8, which is adapted to fit on the top of the pillar, and also to be threaded onto the threaded portion 20 of fitting I6. This arrangement providesa secure attachment of the table top I!) to pillar I 4, and then provides a convenient storage position in that the pipe or pillar M can be unscrewed from the threaded portion 22, and screwed into the T portion 24, after the showing in Figure 3. In this form the table assembly can be conveniently stored and the table top and the pillar are still in a condition of being definitely secured together so that they will not become separated during periods of storage.

In Figure 5 an alternate arrangement is shown for achieving the same end result, in that the pillar I4 is threaded into the threaded bore 28 of fitting 30, which fitting in turn is secured to table top It. In this instance, however, during a period of storage in order that the two parts will not become separated it has been found desirable to provide a connecting chain or other flexible member as 32, which is secured to the table top, as at 34, and to preferably a collar 36, which is free to revolve upon pillar It so that the screw together connection can be made between the pillar and the fitting 36 without twisting the chain. The lower end of pillar. i4 is provided with a pointed portion, as the inset point 38. This metal point can be secured to pillar M in any one of a number of convenient ways. thereto, or threaded into the same, or when extreme cheapness of manufacture indicates it desirable, the lower end of the pipe M can be formed into a point by heating and forging the same.

In the preferred arrangement as shown in Figure 2, the point member is provided with a re- It may be welded duced diameter portion for insertion into pipe i i, with the line of joining of the p pe and the point member being at 46. In the cylindrical portion '42, above the point, is provided a plurality of longitudinal slots or recesses &4. Into these recesses are adapted to be seated a plurality of stabilizing members, each consistingof the two normally vertical portions as 46 and 4?,

i and a horizontal connecting portion 48. A plurality of these elements could be used with three as the minimum number. The upper end of portion E6 is flattened as at 50, so that the sliding collar 52 can be slid down over these members until it comes to a. snug seating, and, in this manner the stabilizing units will be held securely and will not be able to turn in grooves 54. The opposite end of the stabilizing members, as M, is pointed so that the members may be pressed into the ground with ease. When it is necessary to produce a unit of this order at a very minimum cost, other methods of providing these stabilizing units will no doubt occur to a person skilled in this type of work. One such arrangement is shown in Figure 4 in which the vertical members, corresponding to members 45, as indicated in Figure 4. at 56, are welded with the line of welding as at 58 to pipe l4, and make a very secure engagement that locks the members fixedly to the pillar, however, they have a disadvantage in that they cannot be readily folded up for storage when desired.

In using a table of this order, the unit is assembled with the table top disposed at right angles to the axis of the supporting pillar M, then the point 38 is entered into the ground at the place where the table is desired, and pressed downwardly. When the pointed portions ll contact the ground, these too are pressed, as with the feet, until the horizontal portions #8 meet the ground. This construction definitely provides for the proper elevation of the table and at the same time greatly assists in providing a very stable unit which will not be knocked over easily even though the ground on which the table is mounted may be loose or soft. When desired to store the table, the top is unscrewed from the pillar l4, either resecured to the, pillar, after the showing of Figure 3, or it may be unscrewed and held by chain 32 in the form shown in Figure The stabilizing members are partially released by sliding collar 52 upwardly and then turned so that they lie generally in the plane of the table top in' its storage position. The table is then in convenient form for storage.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of a lawn table.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim: 1; A lawn table, comprising: a vertical pillar having a tubular upper portion and a solid lower portion including a pointed lower end and having male threads on its upper end; a table top havin centered on its lower surface a cylindrical fitting having male threads; a T-shaped fitting having-female threads in its two wings and. base and having said male threads of said pillar engaged in one wing and having said male threads of said cylindrical fitting engaged in the other wing and providing means whereby said table can be assembled with said table top lying in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pillar; said pillar having a series of longitudinally extending recesses adjacent said pointed lower end and positioned on various sides of said pillar at the same level; a series of radially disposed stabilizing rods having vertical portions of a size to fit said recesses and each being positioned in one of said recesses, said stabilizing rods having horizontal portions extending outward from the bottom of said vertical portions and then termihatingv in downwardly turned pointedends; and a tubular sliding collar on said pillar of a size to fit over said vertical portions of said stabilizing rods in position in said recesses, said vertical portions of said stabilizing rods each having a tapered flattened portion on the side thereof from which said horizontal portion extends to coact with said collar to prevent turning ofsaid stabilizing rods, said stabilizing rods being pivotal in said recesses when said collar is moved upwards so that they may be positioned to lie in parallel planes for storage.

2. A lawn table, comprising: a vertical pillar, circular in cross-section, having a pointed lower end having male threads on its upper end; a table top having centered on its lower surface a supporting fitting, circular in cross-section, having male threads; a T-shaped fitting having female threads in its two wings and base and having said male threads of said pillar engaged in one wing and having said male threads of said supporting fitting engaged in the other wing and providing means whereby said table can be assembled with said table top lying in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pillar; said pillar having a series of longitudinal eX- tending recesses adjacent said pointed lower end and positioned on various sides of said pillar at the same level; a series of radially disposed sta bilizing members having vertical portions of a size to fit said recesses and each being positioned in one of said recesses, said stabilizing members having horizontal portions extending outward from the bottom of saidvertical portions and then terminating in downwardly turned pointed ends; and a tubular sliding collar on said pillar of a size to fit over said vertical portions of said stabilizing members in position in said recesses to secure the same in position, said stabilizing members being pivotal in said recesses when said collar is moved upwards so that they may be positioned to lie in parallel planes for storage.

RUTH M'. METCALF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Date 

